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Thursday, Dec. 6, marks the fifth night of Hanukkah, which, most years, is a relatively light-hearted Jewish holiday that involves gifts, latkes and dreidels.

But this year, the festival comes just five weeks after 11 Jews were massacred during Saturday morning services at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. It was the deadliest attack against Jewish people in U.S. history.

Meanwhile, Hanukkah has long been seen as a time for Jews to identify themselves proudly and publicly, even in times of persecution.